Update on Harvard offensive line transfer Alec Bank
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With the mass exodus occurring from this past year's roster, Stanford's new head coach Troy Taylor has some major holes to fill.
He has already shown some aggressiveness in the transfer portal in landing FIU linebacker Gaethan Bernadel, and is looking to address a major hole on the offensive line. The Cardinal have a few offensive lineman in their recruiting class, but in losing their entire starting unit they could really use some experience from the portal.
A player who could provide just that is Harvard transfer and left tackle, Alec Bank. The graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining updated All Cardinal on how his transfer portal recruitment is going and what his new school will be getting in him saying:
"I'd say they are going to get someone who is going to work as hard as possible and give 110%, because I understand that one day this game is going to end for me whether that be in two years, five years, or ten years....I really have no other choice but to give everything I got.
He continued saying:
"They are going to get a leader, someone who will be a game changer for them, whether it be in the starting five or the sixth man, I'll just go in do what I can and help whoever around me and make a positive impact for whatever team I end up on."
Bank explained that his portal experience started off slow after he entered his name in it following Harvard's final game against Yale, but after receiving the Stanford offer it has really picked up.
He opened up about who he is hearing from the most saying Georgia State, Marshall, Cal, Stanford, Boise State, and UCLA have all been in the mix with Costal Carolina jumping in the picture recently as well.
Bank divulged what he is looking for in his next destination saying:
"This is something I have been sitting on a lot...a big thing for me is I want to go in somewhere where I can go and compete and play at the highest level. I understand that I can't go in and be guaranteed a starting spot and everything will be earned, but I want an opportunity.
He continued saying:
"Another thing is the culture...how the players interact with each other, the coaches, and just the relationships you can develop with that."
Bank did touch on while location isn't the biggest priority, he would like to make his way to as close as California saying:
"Location plays a part, it's not the end all be all. I would like to make my way as close back to California being born and raised in Southern California. Somewhere where I can sit there and say this is home for the next two years...really just have a comfort there that I made the right choice.
Being that this is a new era of Stanford football under Troy Taylor, I asked Bank's thoughts on Stanford and Taylor, who when he was the coach at Sacramento State actually offered him out of Tesoro high school in Rancho San Margarita, California.
"I've heard some great things with the new staff coming in... knowing all the great stuff that coach Shaw did for Stanford and just the turnover and change that will happen within the program" explained Bank. "There's going to be new starters across the entire board including the offensive line and quarterback, the idea of that is exciting to have a fresh start and potential to be apart of that is very exciting."
Bank expressed that seeing what Taylor did at Sacramento State makes Stanford that much more enticing and even spoke highly of the chances that attending Stanford can provide for the furthering of his football career saying:
"To know that if the NFL does end up becoming my goal...just to know the success that NFL offensive lineman from Stanford have had and to see the development that they've had and just he position they are put in to make the NFL is really exciting. "
In terms of official visits, Bank has already scheduled one to UCLA on January 13, and is in the process of scheduling one with Stanford. He complimented Stanford's recent efforts to attack the transfer portal, expressing that is something new for him and the rest of the college football world to see.
In terms of when he plans to have a decision by, Bank said "End of February at the latest." Saying there really isn't a certain date that he plans on committing by, and just wants to make sure that he finds the right place. If that destination does come sooner rather than later, he will pull the trigger when he feels it's right.
While at Harvard, Bank started 20 consecutive games at left tackle and was named to the Phil Steele All-Ivy League Fourth Team a year ago.
